Greenland’s Long Bargain
Greenland’s parliament has backed a wider American military role, but the bargain raises questions that could outlast the island’s present constitutional status.
Inatsisartut, Greenland’s parliament, approved a new defense agreement with the United States and Denmark on Tuesday. The decision advances an expansion of American military access across an Arctic island whose future has strained relations between Washington and its European allies.
Lawmakers voted 16 to zero, with seven abstentions, according to Reuters. Parliament’s official record confirms the agreement was adopted.
Greenland governs its domestic affairs within the Kingdom of Denmark. The agreement recognizes Greenlanders’ right to self-determination, alongside the kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and U.S. President Donald Trump signed it on September 22, following months of pressure from Trump over control of the island. Tuesday’s vote takes the agreement another step toward implementation.
